Italian Resorts Offer Best Value to British Skiers
16th October 2024
Last modified on October 21st, 2024
The full Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report is released in December, but some preliminary figures have been sent to PlanetSKI ahead of publication as people book their snowsport holidays for next winter.
- Italian resorts are likely to offer British skiers some of the best value skiing in Europe again this year with Bardonecchia offering the best value ski holiday of 36 European ski resorts surveyed
- Borovets and Bansko in Bulgaria remain great value
- Norway comes in as a surprise with Norefjell ranked in Number Two spot
- Swiss resorts again rate as the most expensive in the survey at over £1,000 for the same ski items that cost half that in the cheapest destinations
- The rising strength of sterling in recent weeks means that prices are down in almost half (17) of the 36 ski resorts surveyed
Italian resorts are likely to offer British skiers some of the best value skiing in Europe again this year, according to the latest Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report.
Using local prices for the 2024/2025 winter sports season researched by ski operator Crystal Ski Holidays, Post Office converted these into sterling to compile a one week1 barometer that compares the price of a ski lift pass, ski equipment and tuition for an adult skier in 36 leading European ski resorts.
Led by Bardonecchia, five Italian resorts feature in the best value top 102.
- Italy: Bardonecchia – £405.48 +3.9%
- Norway: Norefjell – £460.36 +5.0%
- Italy: Sauze – £468.36 +4.5%
- Bulgaria: Borovets – £468.86 +1.5%
- Bulgaria: Bansko – £484.62 +1.2%
- Italy: Livigno – £490.09 +4.3%
- Italy: Sestriere – £517.50 -6.1%
- France: Le Corbier – £529.74 +3.7%
- France: Morzine – £530.17 -6.0%
- Italy: La Thuile – £537.17 -0.9%
Norefjell in Norway may be a surprise to some, not us at PlanetSKI.
Norefjell, Norway. Image © PlanetSKI
Norways has a reputation for being expensive, and drinks certainly are, but otherwise it is very good value in our experience.
PlanetSKI editor, James Cove, was on the inaugural Crystal Ski charter flight to Olso last winter and went on to ski in Norefjell – one of his favourite resorts in Norway.
Crystal charter to Oslo. Image © PlanetSKI
“As a one-stop shop for ski holidays, here at Crystal we want to ensure we’re offering our customers value for money when it comes to booking their holiday,” said the Managing Director at Crystal Ski Holidays, Chris Logan.
“With a wide choice of great value destinations on offer, Italy has continued to be a popular choice amongst our customers for the winter 2024-25 season.
“We’ve also seen strong demand for budget-friendly destinations including the Bulgarian resorts of Borovets and Bansko as well as France.”
Although the cost of a week’s skiing has risen by 3.9 per cent year-on-year to £405.48, Bardonecchia is by far the cheapest ski resort surveyed in the Post Office report this year.
Its ski costs barometer is almost 12 per cent lower than in its closest competitor, the Norwegian resort of Norefjell, where costs totals £460.31.
The other Italian resorts to feature in the top 10 are: Sauze (3rd, £468.36, prices up 4.5 per cent), Livigno (6th £490.09, up 4.3 per cent), Sestriere (7th, £517.50, down 6.1 per cent) and La Thuile (10th, £537.17, down 0.9 per cent).
Although no longer the cheapest options for British skiers, the Bulgarian resorts of Borovets and Bansko remain great value.
Prices have risen only marginally in both resorts – by 1.5 per cent in fourth-placed Borovets to £468.86 and by 1.2 per cent in fifth-placed Bansko to £484.62.
The best value top 10 also includes two French ski resorts.
In eighth place with a ski costs barometer total of £529.74, Le Corbier has seen a 3.7 per cent price increase since last season, while Morzine is close behind in ninth position with a six per cent fall in barometer costs to £537.17.
However, there is no top 10 place for either Austrian or Swiss ski resorts.
Ellmau is the highest placed Austrian ski resort in 14th place, although ski passes, equipment and tuition have fallen in price by 2.8 per cent to £586.21.
Swiss resorts again rate as the most expensive in the survey at over £1,000 for the same ski items that cost half that in the cheapest destinations.
Zermatt is priciest at £1,015.46, but on par with 2023/2024 levels, while Wengen (£1,010.68) saw the biggest cost increase of 7.3 per cent.
Zermatt, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
The rising strength of sterling in recent weeks means that prices are down in almost half (17) of the 36 ski resorts surveyed – with the biggest drop of 8.3 per cent in Val Thorens (£646.55).
Where the survey found price rises, the majority were increases of less than five per cent. Ironically, only three of the best value top 10 resorts – Sestriere, Morzine and La Thuile – registered price falls.
“Although sterling is currently stronger against currencies for most European ski resorts compared with last year, our latest comparison of prices in leading destinations shows that the cost of lift passes, equipment hire and ski school continues to vary by hundreds of pounds,” said Laura Plunkett, Head of Post Office Travel Money,which accounts for one-in-four UK currency transactions.
“This makes it vitally important for skiers looking for a bargain break to do their homework before booking a ski holiday.
“Italy is again looking great value, but Bulgaria offers a good alternative to more expensive ski resorts in Switzerland, France and Austria.”
Notes:
1 Ski tuition prices are based on 5-6 half-day sessions.
2 Best value European ski resorts showing year-on-year percentage price rises and falls:
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